Energy Saving

Although you will be helping the environment by buying a green tariff, you should still try and avoid wasting energy. This will help you save money from your fuel bills, and will mean that we don't waste scarce clean renewable energy.

First look for any waste...

The first thing to do is to see if you are using any energy unnecessarily. Are you leaving equipment on standby that doesn't need to be? Are there lights on in rooms that are not being used? Are empty rooms being heated, or is the temperature higher than you need? Most people can still save some energy - and money - by simply switching off a few things, or checking the temperature on thermostats and settings on time clocks. But there's a limit to how much you can do with simple energy saving measures: you also need to ensure that you are using energy efficiently.

Energy efficiency covers a range of measures at home, but they can normally be split into four groups:

1. Insulation
2. Heating systems
3. Controls
4. Lighting & Appliances

Insulation - keep the heat at home

Insulation is all about keeping warmth inside your home. If you have cavity walls, they should be filled with a special insulation material to stop heat escaping - and there are usually grants available from your gas or electricity supplier to help pay for this to be done. If you don't have cavity walls, or if you live in a block of flats, you may have to use a different type of insulation, either internal or external to the walls. This often costs rather more, but if you follow the links at the bottom of this page you'll find out the best ways of doing it.

The other main place where heat is lost is through the roof. If you have a loft, you should aim to have at least 270mm (10 inches) of loft insulation. There are lots of different materials, and it's not too difficult to top up old insulation as a DIY job although, again, you may be able to get a grant from your gas or electricity supplier.

Some heat is also lost through windows. In many cases, more is wasted through draughts around the frames than through the actual panes of glass, so it's worth adding good quality draughtstripping in rooms without an open fire or stove. And if your windows need replacing anyway, make sure that you buy units with low-emissivity double glazing - look for a window rated no worse than "C".

Heating Systems - Boilers, Heat Pumps and more

Heating systems are the biggest gas guzzler in most homes - even if it's oil or electricity that they run on! If you have a central heating system with a boiler and radiators, check that the boiler is serviced regularly. As well as keeping you safer, this will ensure it operates at maximum efficiency. And if the boiler is older and needs replacing, you will find that by law you have to install a high efficiency condensing model, which could save a quarter from your heating bills.

If you don't have gas, you should consider installing a heat pump. These work by capturing heat in the air or ground and passing it through a heat exchanger, working a bit like a fridge in reverse, to heat water for use in a central heating system. However, as they work best to provide lower temperature water than from a gas boiler, you may need to use them with oversized radiators or an underfloor distribution system.

Controls - so you have heat when and where you need it

The controls on your heating system are just as important as the boiler itself. At a minimum, of you have a gas or oil boiler, you also need a room thermostat, a seven day electronic timer and thermostatic radiators valves (TRVs). You should also have a hot water tank thermostat if you don't have a combi boiler. If you have electric heating, then there are various controls for storage heaters than can improve their responsiveness. Both types of systems can also benefit from an external weather compensator. If you live in a larger home, consider adding zone control, that allows you to set different temperatures (or heating times) in different parts of your home.

Lighting & Appliances - Brighter Ideas

These days, energy efficient lighting doesn't mean having to buy large clunky light bulbs. There are many designs of compact fluorescent lamp on the market, and most "A" rated bulbs will save 75% from your lighting bills. Some CFLs will work with dimmer switches. You can also buy LEDs which use even less energy, and can be a great replacement for the small halogen bulbs.

Electrical appliances are consuming more and more energy around the home. Most can safely be turned off at the plug when not in use, or you can buy a standby saver that will detect when they are not in use. But when choosing a new appliance look for one of two things - the European Energy Label, which rates the appliance on a scale from A to G, or the "Energy Efficiency Recommended" kitemark.

EU Energy Labels can be found on large appliances such as fridges, freezers, washing machine, tumble driers and cookers. For most appliances A is the best, but for fridges and freezers you can find A+ or A++ units on the market. The blue and white "Energy Efficiency Recommended" kitemark can be found on best in class appliances such as TVs. And for PCs, laptops and other computer equipment, always ensure that they are marked with Energy Star at the very least.

Need More Advice?

There are many ways to find out more about energy saving opportunities at home or in small businesses. You can speak to an energy advisor at your local Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre on Freephone 0800 512012. Or you can visit the Energy Saving Trust website for more information on the measures described on this page, and to complete a straightforward home energy check. A slightly more sophisticated advice tool that allows you to define what you are trying to achieve and set an overall budget can be found on the T-Zero website. And your gas or electricity supplier should also be able to offer energy saving advice from their website.